2 weeks Ago
THE TAOISEACH HAS described the accounts of victims of paedophile Michael Shine as being “truly harrowing and enormous in scale”. Yesterday, Micheal Martin met victims of the now disgraced doctor and representatives of the advocacy organisation Dignity4Patients to discuss calls for a Commission of Investigation this afternoon. But just hours beforehand, two more men came forward and made fresh allegations against the now disgraced doctor – a development that campaigners say highlights the need for an immediate public inquiry.
This brings to 366 the number of men who say they were abused by Shine, now aged 94. Cianan Murray, Larry Torris, Ian Russell, Peter O’Connor, Ian Armstrong and Gerard Murray attended Wednesday’s meeting. In a statement issued to yesterday, a spokesperson for Micheal Martin said: “The Taoiseach welcomed the opportunity to meet with members of Dignity4Patients.
“The accounts of the abuse so many people suffered over the years were truly harrowing and enormous in scale. “The Taoiseach thanked them for telling their stories. They discussed the need for answers, and the best ways to achieve those answers.
“The groups said they plan to meet with the Minister for Health and the Taoiseach agreed to reflect on the issues raised in today’s meeting and to continue to engage.” Speaking outside Leinster House, the victims said that they are “cautiously optimistic”. They are calling for a public inquiry to examine claims that authorities, including the Medical Missionaries of Mary that ran the hospital, knew about the abuse which spanned decades and failed to stop it.
This is the second time in two weeks that the victims have been in Leinster House to discuss their case, having made an audiovisual presentation to politicians earlier this month. Victim Larry Torris, 40, told the Journal: “It’s difficult going through the story again, but we feel very much that he was open to listening to us and he wants to get answers.” Mr Torris was sexually abused by the former doctor while he was still groggy from general anaesthesia, administered for an operation in 1994, just days after his 10th birthday.
To date he is the youngest victim to come forward. Speaking to , he said that there is the potential that there are men as young as in their early 30s who were abused and have yet to come forward and seek help. “I am one of the youngest victims.
I was 10 years old in 1994. But we know that he abused victims of all ages. “Gerard Murray, for example, was just four years of age.
So if in 1994 he was abusing four years old, that means that there are men as young as in their early 30s out there.” Earlier this month, the Journal published an interview with Tom Ayres, 75, who said that he was sexually abused in 1964. Larry Torris said: “That was 20 years before I was even born.
I was floored by that. There were decades to stop the abuse before it happened to me.” CEO of advocacy organisation Dignity4Patients Adrienne Reilly told the Journal: “Just yesterday, while we were in the middle of preparing for today’s meeting, we (Dignity4Patients) were contacted by yet another man who was sexually abused by Michael Shine.
“I say this now to show your readers that this is very much a live case. It is not an issue consigned to the past. “The number of men coming forward and reporting that they were abused continues to increase.
They do not have peace.” The victims are represented by lawyer Diarmuid Brecknell of Phoenix Law. When asked how he felt the meeting went, Mr Brecknell said: “The victims embraced the opportunity to speak directly to the Taoiseach and while today was a hugely important milestone for the men at the heart of this case, we don’t stop here.
“Our next step is to meet with the Minister for Health. Jennifer Caroll MacNeill has previously committed to a meeting and this needs to happen within the coming weeks.”.
